Pittsburg State University facts for kids
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Former names
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Auxiliary Manual Training Normal School (1903–1913) Kansas State Teachers College of Pittsburg (1913–1959) Kansas State College of Pittsburg (1959–1977) |
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| Motto | "By doing, learn." On seal: "Research, Instruction, Service" |
| Type | Public university |
| Established | March 6, 1903 |
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Parent institution
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Kansas Board of Regents |
| Accreditation | HLC |
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Academic affiliation
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| Endowment | $74.6 million (2020) |
| President | Dan Shipp |
| Provost | Howard W. Smith |
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Academic staff
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301 |
| Students | 5,732 (Fall 2023) |
| Location |
,
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United States
37°23′29″N 94°42′09″W / 37.3913°N 94.7024°W |
| Campus | Distant town, 223 acres (0.90 km2) |
| Other campuses | Kansas City |
| Newspaper | The Collegio |
| Colors | Crimson and Gold |
| Nickname | Gorillas |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division II – The MIAA |
| Mascot | Gus the Gorilla |
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Pittsburg State University (also known as Pitt State or PSU) is a public university located in Pittsburg, Kansas, United States. It's a place where many students go to learn and grow. About 7,400 students attend Pitt State, with most of them being undergraduates. The university is part of the Kansas Board of Regents, which helps manage public universities in Kansas.
Contents
University History and Name Changes
Pittsburg State University started a long time ago, in 1903. It was first called the Auxiliary Manual Training Normal School. Back then, it was a smaller part of another school, Emporia State University.
| How the Name Changed | |
| Years | Name |
|---|---|
| 1903–1913 | Auxiliary Manual Training Normal School |
| 1913–1959 | Kansas State Teachers College of Pittsburg |
| 1959–1977 | Kansas State College of Pittsburg |
| 1977–present | Pittsburg State University (PSU) |
In 1913, the school became a full four-year college. Its name changed to Kansas State Teachers College of Pittsburg. People often called it Pittsburg State for short. Over the years, the school started teaching more than just how to be a teacher. Because of this, its name changed again in 1959 to Kansas State College of Pittsburg. Finally, on April 21, 1977, it became Pittsburg State University, which is its name today.
Past Leaders of Pitt State
Pittsburg State has had 13 leaders since it began. The first leaders were called "principal" from 1903 to 1913. After 1913, the leader's title changed to "president."
- Russell S. Russ (1903–1911)
- George E. Myers (1911–1913)
- William A. Brandenburg (1913–1940)
- O. P. Dellinger (1940–1941)
- Rees H. Hughes (1941–1957)
- Leonard H. Axe (1957–1965)
- George F. Budd (1965–1977)
- James Appleberry (1977–1983)
- Donald W. Wilson (1983–1995)
- John R. Darling (1995–1999)
- Tom W. Bryant (1999–2009)
- Steven A. Scott (2009–2022)
- Dan Shipp (2022–present)
Campus Life and Buildings
The main campus of Pittsburg State University is in southeast Kansas. It covers about 223 acres, which is a lot of space!
One important building is Porter Hall, built in 1927. It's named after Ebenezer F. Porter, who was a state legislator. He helped the school get started and find money to build things.
The campus also has the Kansas Technology Center. This is a huge building with modern technology programs. It cost $30 million to build! In 2014, the university opened the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts. This center is a great place for performances. It has a large performance hall, a smaller theater, an art gallery, and rehearsal spaces for music groups.
Pittsburg State also has other campuses. One is in the Kansas City metro area. It's called the Kansas City Metro Center Campus. Here, students can earn different bachelor's and master's degrees. There are also two degrees offered in Salina, Kansas, at the Salina Area Technical College.
Student Life and Groups
Greek Organizations
Many students at Pittsburg State join Greek organizations, which are like clubs. They are called fraternities for boys and sororities for girls. These groups often focus on friendship, community service, and leadership.
| Interfraternity Council | Panhellenic Council | Multicultural Greek Council |
|---|---|---|
| Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity | Alpha Gamma Delta sorority | Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity |
| Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity | Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority | Lambda Pi Upsilon sorority |
| Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity | Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority | |
| Sigma Chi fraternity | ||
| Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity | ||
| Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity |
Academics and Learning
Pittsburg State University is divided into different schools and colleges. Each one focuses on specific subjects:
- College of Arts and Science
- Kelce College of Business
- College of Education
- College of Technology
The Kelce College of Business is a highly respected business school. It is accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). This means it meets high standards for business education. The university also has research centers. These include the Business & Technology Institute and the Kansas Polymer Research Center. The Polymer Research Center is in the new Tyler Research Center building.
Athletics: Go Gorillas!
The sports teams at Pittsburg State are known as the Gorillas. They are the only university in the United States with a gorilla as their mascot! The idea for the mascot started in 1920. It became official on January 15, 1925. The current mascot, named Gus, was designed in 1985.
The Gorillas compete in NCAA Division II sports. They are part of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). Pittsburg State has 12 different sports teams.
- Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, and track & field (both indoor and outdoor).
- Women's sports include basketball, cross country, softball, track & field (indoor and outdoor), and volleyball.
There are also club sports, like men's baseball.
Football Success
The Pitt State football team started in 1908. They have won more games than any other team in NCAA Division II history! They have been national champions four times: in 1957, 1961, 1991, and 2011. In 2011, they won their most recent national championship by beating Wayne State University 35–21.
The Gorillas have also won many conference championships. They often play against Northwest Missouri State University in a big game called the Fall Classic at Arrowhead. This game is played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. In 2002, 26,695 people watched this game, which was the most for any Division II game!
Apple Day Tradition
Pittsburg State has a unique tradition called Apple Day. It started in 1907. A group from Pittsburg went to the state legislature to ask for money to build the school's first building. One of them accidentally broke a rule. As a fun "fine," the legislators asked for a barrel of apples.
When the group returned, students thought it was funny. They decided that the teachers who missed class to go to the legislature should also pay the "fine." Back then, students got in trouble for missing class. So, students thought teachers should too!
On March 6, 1908, the first Apple Day was held. Classes were canceled for the whole day. Students "fined" the teachers a barrel of apples again. This is how the tradition began: teachers bringing apples for their students every year!
Famous People from Pitt State
Many interesting people have studied at Pittsburg State University. Some became famous in sports, entertainment, or other fields.
- Fira Basuki, an Indonesian novelist.
- John Brown, a wide receiver who played for the Buffalo Bills.
- Gary Busey, a well-known film actor (he attended but did not graduate).
- Eldon Danenhauer, an offensive tackle for the Denver Broncos.
- Dennis Franchione, a former head football coach for Texas A&M University. He also coached at Pittsburg State.
- Kendall Gammon, a former NFL long snapper for the Kansas City Chiefs. He now works for Pittsburg State.
- Don Gutteridge, a Major League Baseball player and manager.
- Jennifer Knapp, a Grammy-nominated Christian music artist who sold over 1 million albums.
- Jake LaTurner, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas.
- Sherm Lollar, a Major League Baseball player.
- Ronald Moore, a former NFL running back.
- Brian Moorman, an NFL punter for the Buffalo Bills.
- Sam Pittman, the head football coach for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
- H. Lee Scott, a former president and CEO of Wal-Mart.
- Steven A. Scott, the ninth president of Pittsburg State University.
- Joe Skubitz, a U.S. representative.
- Sally Stonecipher, the first female United States Army helicopter pilot.
- James Tate, a writer who won the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for poetry.
- Ahasanul Islam Titu, a member of parliament and minister in Bangladesh.
- Lucinda Todd, a civil rights activist. She was a plaintiff in the important Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka court case.
